This invention relates generally to circular disc toys exhibiting stable aerodynamic properties when tossed or thrown and more particularly to an improved flexible disc toy which may be folded or crumpled when not in use.
A most popular flying disc or saucer toy is the well known "Frisbee" manufactured by the Wham-O Manufacturing Company of San Gabriel, Calif. and disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678 issued to Edward E. Headrick on Dec. 26, 1967. This disc is made of a relatively rigid plastics material having a recessed undersurface so that, when tossed in the air, the disc flies in a rotating aerodynamically stable manner. While this toy is most suitable for outdoor use, it is not very practical for indoor use in the presence of lamps, vases, pictures and similar items of relatively delicate structure which might not survive the impact of a thrown, high speed plastic saucer, without suffering considerable damage.
It has been recognized that a "Frisbee" type of toy could be made of softer materials so that children (and even adults) could use the toy indoors. A flying saucer made of a flexible, resilient polyurethane foam, formed to have a recessed undersurface for stable flight is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,505 issued to Carl J. Linenfelser on Jan. 16, 1973. This toy is obviously not readily folded for storage nor could an advertising message or the like be readily imprinted on the surface thereof.
A more recent development, and a truly flexible flying disc or saucer which may double as a hat, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,946, issued to Daniel Vukmirovich on Sept. 26, 1978. The disc toy or cap disclosed therein is currently marketed as the "Flippy Flier" and is formed as a non-shape retaining disc of cloth having a downturned, gathered edge, hemmed to receive evenly distributed weights or a single weight, the device being easily crumpled and folded for storage when not being used as a cap or flying toy. However, the requirement for weights in the device leaves it obviously somewhat undesirable for use indoors.
In direct contradistinction to the Vukmirovich, flexible flying disc, the present invention provides a truly flexible flying disc or saucer which is easily folded and crumpled for storage, yet is made of components having sufficient elastic memory so that the disc returns to its original configuration for use as a flying toy.